Just a Headache?
by snowmoon
Summary: Serena suffers from a headache. She thinks it is nothing to worry about, but it may be worse than she thinks.


Legal stuff: I do not own Sailor Moon or SM characters only the plot of the following story is mine.  
  
  
  
Just A Headache?  
  
"Serena, get UP! You are going to be late for school."  
  
"Go away, Luna."  
  
"Serena, you only have five minutes before school starts."  
  
"What?! Why didn't you wake me earlier?"  
  
Luna sighed. "I did--several times."  
  
Serena jumped out of bed and began running around, trying to get ready quickly so that she would not be late. She tripped several times but finally she was out the door and running down the sidewalk towards her school. As she ran she stopped suddenly, dropped her books, and leaned against a wall, holding her head.  
  
"Serena, are you okay?"  
  
Serena looked up to see Darien, giving her a concerned look.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just suddenly got a headache."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah. I gotta go Darien! I'm late for school!"  
  
Darien picked up her books and handed them to her and watched with a bemused smile as she ran off. His expression changed to worry again as he thought about how she had stopped so suddenly and clutched her head in pain. 'Is it normal for a headache to come so on so quickly?' he wondered, 'And be painful enough to stop her in her tracks?' Darien mulled this over as he walked to class. Once there, he had no time to think of Serena's headache, for he had to concentrate on what his professor was saying.  
  
"Serena, are you okay? You've been out of it more than usual today."  
  
Serena looked up at the concerned face looking down at her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, Lita. I just got a little headache." Then her eyes lit up as she saw Lita's lunchbag. "What do you have for lunch today? Do you wanna share?"  
  
Lita laughed, "Sure, I'll share with you, Serena."  
  
She gave Serena some of her muffins and Serena gobbled them up happily.  
  
"Are you ever NOT hungry, meatball head?" asked a voice from behind Serena.  
  
Serena's face turned red. "Don't call me that, Raye! I'm only hungry 'cause I haven't had anything to eat today."  
  
"You haven't? Here, you can have some more of my lunch then."  
  
"Thanks, Lita."  
  
"Why didn't you bring your own lunch? Were you running too late to remember your lunch AGAIN? Can't you ever get up on time?"  
  
"Lay off her, Raye. Can't you see she's not in a good mood today?" Spoke up a girl who had arrived just after Raye.  
  
"Thanks, Amy."  
  
But Raye was not ready to be silenced. "What's wrong, meatball head? Did Darien get tired of dating a klutz and dump you?"  
  
"Shut up, Raye!"  
  
Serena stood up, her facing turning red, but quickly sat down again as the pain in her head intensified again. Instantly, all the girls kneeled around her, concerned.  
  
"I'm sorry, Serena. Are you okay?"  
  
"Wow. Raye apologizing to me," said Serena weakly.  
  
"Serena, what's wrong?" asked Amy.  
  
"It's just a headache," answered Serena.  
  
"It looks like more than JUST a headache to me. How long have you had it?"  
  
"Since this morning."  
  
"Did it come on suddenly or did it build up gradually?"  
  
"Suddenly."  
  
"You guys," said Amy looking over at Lita and Raye, "This could be serious."  
  
"What? It's just a headache. It'll pass and I'll be fine."  
  
"No, I don't think so, Serena. It could be just a headache, or it could be an indication of something more serious. I think you should see someone about it, just in case."  
  
"I agree," said Lita.  
  
"Yeah. We can't let anything happen to you—you're our princess and we gotta make sure nothing happens to you and that includes things not concerning the Negaverse." Said Raye.  
  
"Then it's settled," said Amy. "We are taking you to the hospital to let my mom check you out."  
  
Serena sighed and went with them. She was too worn out to fight about it. They found Mina on their way to the nurse's office, and after getting the nurse's permission, they all walked Serena to the hospital. Luckily, Amy's mom was not too busy at that moment and was able to see Serena quickly. She asked Serena a few questions and then she did a scan of her head. After seeing the results she left Serena in the examination room and went to see the girls, in the waiting room.  
  
"Well, mom? Was she right that it was just a headache, or is it something worse?"  
  
"I think I need to call her mom and have her come right away," was the reply they got.  
  
It was all they needed to know that it was something serious. "What is it mom?"  
  
"I think Serena's mom should be the first to know."  
  
The girls all sighed at this but did not ask again.  
  
It wasn't long before Serena's mom showed up looking worn out and very worried. Amy's mom led her to another room.  
  
"Mrs.Tsukino, I'm afraid that I have some bad news for you."  
  
"What is it? What's wrong with my daughter?"  
  
"She was complaining of a headache, so I had her head scanned and found a tumor."  
  
Serena's mom only looked in shock as Amy's mom continued, "And unfortunately, it's not benign. It's also in a place that is difficult to operate in."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying that Serena does not have very long to live."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"A month, at best."  
  
"And at worst?"  
  
"A week or two, maybe only a few hours."  
  
The four girls quickly stood up as Serena's mom came out crying.  
  
"What's wrong with Serena?" asked Raye.  
  
"She has a brain tumor." She nearly choked on the next words. "And she doesn't have very long to live."  
  
The four girls were dumbfounded at the news. Serena's mom left and went to see her daughter who was asleep in another room. Afterwards, she left to get her husband and son. The four girls were now joined by Darien, who they called as soon as they had heard what was wrong. They all went in to see Serena. She was sleeping again, but as they entered, she woke up again.  
  
"Oh Serena. We're sorry to wake you."  
  
"It's okay. I'm glad you're here."  
  
"Of course we're here, meatball head. We couldn't not come and see you in the hospital."  
  
"Raye! Couldn't you be a little nicer to her?" Scolded Lita.  
  
"How are you feeling?" asked Amy.  
  
"Well, I still have a headache, and I'm awfully tired, but other than that, I'm great." She beamed at them and her eyes were the same loving and happy eyes that they all loved.  
  
"Oh, Serena. Have they told you what's wrong with you?" asked Lita  
  
Serena's eyes darkened slightly. "Yes, they told me."  
  
"So you know…" began Lita.  
  
"Yes, I know that there's nothing that they can do. Since they can't do anything, why should I get upset about it? I can enjoy my last moments with you guys if I just accept that whatever will be will be."  
  
"Serena, I never knew you could be so brave." Raye looked at Serena, on the verge of tears, as were the rest of the scouts and Darien.  
  
Seeing their tearful faces, Serena burst into tears herself, and the other girls and Darien gathered around her and they all cried together.  
  
"I don't wanna die!" wailed Serena.  
  
"There's the Serena we love," said Raye through her tears.  
  
"How can this be happening? She's our princess—she can't die," said Lita  
  
Nobody answered.  
  
"And how can she suddenly get a brain tumor?  
  
"It may have been dormant till now. She may have…"  
  
Mina cut off Amy. "Could the Negaverse be involved?"  
  
"I don't think so," said Amy, but she started to check her computer anyway.  
  
After a few minutes she looked up.  
  
"I'm not sure how they managed it, but it is the Negaverse, all right."  
  
"Is there anything we can do about it?"  
  
Amy shook her head. "Knowing how she got the brain tumor doesn't change anything."  
  
"No, we can't let this happen!"  
  
"Raye, there's nothing we can do," said Amy desolately.  
  
"I can't just sit around and watch my friend die! We have to do something for her!"  
  
"There's nothing we can do." Lita agreed with Amy unhappily.  
  
"None of us want her to die. We all wish we could do something, but it's out of our hands." Spoke up Mina, her voice softer than usual.  
  
"Oh!" cried Serena in pain.  
  
The girls immediately forgot their conversation and turned back to Serena. Darien was hold her hand and looking at her sadly. "Are you okay, my princess?"  
  
"It'll pass in a moment."  
  
Sure enough, the pain subsided enough for her to smile weakly at him.  
  
No one noticed as Amy got up and went to talk to the figure in the doorway.  
  
"I don't think she has long."  
  
"How long do you think she has?" Amy asked her mother.  
  
"A day at the most."  
  
Amy looked sadly at her friend lying on the hospital bed surrounded by all her friends. Somehow she was still managing to look happy. 'Oh, Serena!' she thought. 'You can't die. What would we do without your smiling face and cheerful personality around all the time to cheer us up? You may be a klutz and not very smart, but you're the most wonderful girl I know and my best friend.'  
  
Serena looked up at Amy as if she had heard her thoughts and Amy went back to sit near Serena again. Serena reached out and held Amy's hand.  
  
"It's okay Amy. I got a while right? And a part of me will always be with you."  
  
In spite of herself, Amy managed a weak smile. 'How about that!' she thought. 'She's the one dying, and SHE's comforting ME!'  
  
Soon the girls left so that Serena and Darien could be alone.  
  
Darien held Serena's hand while trying to hold back his tears, "Serena, my love, what will I do without you?"  
  
"Oh, you'll manage to struggle on somehow," said Serena with a small smile.  
  
"Serena, I want you to know that you'll always be in my heart."  
  
"Oh, Darien!" sobbed Serena.  
  
Darien held Serena until Raye came in and told him that Serena's parents were here, and he slipped silently away as they entered.  
  
"Serena! How are you feeling?" asked her dad.  
  
"About as good as can be expected," answered Serena  
  
An unusually somber Sammy approached Serena. "Serena, if you just get better--I promise I won't make fun of you anymore."  
  
Serena chuckled, "Now there's a reason to live."  
  
Night came quickly, and soon the scouts and Darien had to go home while Serena's family stayed. Sammy and her father were given a room where they could sleep, and Serena's mom stayed in a chair by Serena's bed.  
  
She looked sadly at the sleeping form of her daughter as she whispered, "Oh, Serena, my sweet Sailor Moon. I wish there were something I could do for you!"  
  
Had Serena been awake, her eyes would have widened in wonder, as she heard that her mother knew who she was, and in fact, had known for quite some time. She had not worried too much when Serena went off to fight. She knew that Sailor Moon could be very brave, and had friends with her that would not let any harm befall their leader. 'They couldn't save her from this, though--no one could.' With that thought, Serena's mom fell into a restless sleep.  
  
The next morning just before visiting hours, Serena's mom awoke and went to see her husband and son. For the first time since arriving in the hospital, Serena was alone. It was at this time that the figure that had been watching from the shadows quietly entered Serena's room. It wouldn't have mattered to Serena if the figure had entered noisily, however, for at some point that night she had slipped into a coma from which she would not be expected to awaken.  
  
"Oh, Serena. I had hoped that we could be friends. I know that I am not a scout, but I had hoped that I could have been a part of your group nonetheless."  
  
The girl looking down on Serena sighed. Her sapphire eyes held a great sadness.  
  
"I never could have fought alongside you. I am not a fighter. I could not protect you as the others could. My gift is the ability to heal. You have such a large wound to heal; I know that if I heal you I will surely die. If you were conscious, you might tell me not to do it, but I know that I must. You have a great destiny ahead of you and my destiny is here. I now know that I am destined to die so that you can live."  
  
The girl laid her hands on Serena's head and closed her eyes. Her long, ebony hair lifted slightly as if from an invisible wind as she gathered her energy. A white light emanated from the girl's hands and caused Serena's body to glow as the healing power entered her. The girl slumped weakly to the ground as Serena opened her eyes.  
  
"Huh? Where am I? Luna?" She looked around and suddenly remembered where she was. As this realization came to her, she noticed the figure on the ground.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
The girl opened her eyes for the last time and spoke her final words, "Give that to my brother."  
  
"What? Who is your brother?"  
  
The sailor scouts were on their way to visit Serena when they sensed some great power in Serena's room. They quickly transformed, and ran into the room, with Tuxedo Mask close behind. They came in just in time to see the body of the girl fade away.  
  
"Serena, are you all right?" asked Tuxedo Mask  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"Who was that?" asked Sailor Venus.  
  
Serena looked at where the girl once was, "I don't know." She then gazed at the object she had found next to her—a delicate pink rose. "But I owe her my life."  
  
The End 


End file.
